Introduction to Plumbing - Three Phases of Plumbing Projects

Introduction to Plumbing - Three Phases of Plumbing Projects

Three Phases of Plumbing Projects
Plumbing can be divided into three broad phases:

• Underground rough-in

• Aboveground rough-in (also called top-out or stack-out)

• Finish (also called trim-out or trim finish)

Underground Rough-In
During the underground rough-in phase, a plumber locates all the supply and waste connections from the building system to public utilities, and establishes where these systems will enter or leave the building.

Aboveground Rough-In
During the aboveground rough-in phase, a plumber:

• Cuts holes in wall, ceiling, or floor to attach or hang pipes for connection to fixtures

• Installs the pipe for the building’s various supply and waste system.

• Operates power threading machines, propane torches, and other power tools

Finish
In the finish phase, the plumber installs fixtures such as sinks, showers, and toilet appliances such as dishwashers, water purification system, and water heater.

The plumber may be called on to install the automatic controls that regulate the pressurized pipe system as well.

Importance of Maintenance
Regardless of how well a plumbing system is installed, it must be maintained and periodically repaired. Service and maintenance can even be regarded as the fourth phase of plumbing projects.

Plumbers perform a variety of tasks as part of service and maintenance. These tasks include the following: